Please take your assigned seat

1. Please take your assigned seat Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Mt 6:33

2. Today’s Checklist • Prayer as song – finish partner presentations • Field of Dreams recap • Symbol vs. sign • Ritual vs. routine • Ritual group activity • On deck • Guided meditation • Journey of faith

3. The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful worldas it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things rightif I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with HimForever in the next.Amen.

4. Field of Dreams recap • Make note of specific examples of the following concepts: • Sacramental awareness • Sacramental dullness • Grace • Flesh-and-blood communication • God speaking through friendships • Listening for God • Responding to God

5. Symbols versus signs • Symbolic signs are much richer types of signs than simple signs • Unlike signs, symbols may have more than one meaning • They are multi-dimensional

6. Powerful response • Symbols speak to us in a more powerful and personal way than do other, simpler signs • Symbols involve us totally; they spark a deep response • They touch our hearts as well as our heads

7. Two kinds of symbols

8. Changing symbols • Symbols can change in meaning due to historical events and cultural shifts • The swastika was once a Hindu symbol of peace and good luck • It was misused by the Nazis and is now associated with death and destruction

9. Ritual as symbol • Rituals are symbolic actions that help us concretely, or physically, express our beliefs, values, and deepest concerns • Ritual expresses the deeper meaning of the sacraments to those who participate in the sacraments of the church

10. Ritual versus routine

11. Personal rituals and routines • Brainstorm personal rituals and routines that you perform in your life

12. Rituals in the early church • Christians gathered for meals – they broke bread and shared the cup as Jesus had instructed them to do • Examples: • Converts to Christianity underwent a ritual washing to symbolize the change that they felt inside • The laying of the hands developed out of the Apostles’ experiences of receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost

13. Characteristics of rituals • Read the selection and note • the eight most important characteristics of rituals • a brief description of each criteria

14. Characteristics of rituals

15. Group activity – Rituals • Think about special moments that communities or families encounter • Examples • The birth of a baby • The adoption of a baby • A child losing his or her first tooth • Retirement • Beginning of a new job • Relocation – moving from an old house to a new one • Vacation

16. Faith journey • Listen to the lyrics of the song “Learning to Breathe” • How do these lyrics express the journey of faith? • Does the speaker convey a need for God in his life?

17. Guided meditation • As you listen to the guided meditation, envision your faith journey • You will then chart your faith journey indicating special events, and highs and lows